Here are all the classes you have to take next fall!

Digital Information Age with Professor David Vallancourt

I am not a technology person, at all. I’ve never taken an engineering course, and I needed a class to fulfill the Thinking Technologically requirement. Professor Vallancourt is a really entertaining and engaging lecturer. I learned A LOT I never would’ve been exposed to had I not taken this course. Professor Vallancourt was always so patient in answering our questions that were elementary to him without being condescending. The TA, Megan, was also so kind in answering our questions. Both Prof Vallancourt and Megan had ample office hours which were essential for succeeding in this course. Would highly recommend it if you want to learn basic EE, how everyday electronics work and get out of your comfort zone.

Psychology of Learning with Professor Peter Balsam

Psych of Learning was fundamental to building a foundation for psychology and neuroscience. Professor Balsam is a really sweet and knowledgeable professor and is always willing to answer questions before, during, after class, by email, or whenever. The lecture itself is essential to understand how people learn things outside the classroom especially. It might make you understand why you do certain things. 

Developmental Psychology Lab with Professor Danielle Sussan 

You need to take the lecture to take this lab class, and the lecture class is great, but I want to focus on the lab portion specifically. Professor Sussan is one of the kindest, most personable, and understanding professors I’ve ever had. She cares so deeply about her students and you can tell she absolutely loves teaching from the very first session. The class itself is super interesting and working with children is really fun. If you’re looking for a lab class to fulfill the lab requirement or a psych major, do yourself a favor and take this class. 

History of Capitalism with Professor Carl Wennerlind

The more time that passes, the more I realize what a formative and helpful class this was. History of Capitalism examines definitions of capitalism, different interpretations of its function in the world, and criticisms throughout time. The authors and theories from this class helped me in basically every social science class that I have taken since, providing me with a clear understanding of a lot of names and theories that tend to just be thrown around. On the professor side of things, Professor Wennerlind is great. Very straightforward lectures where he just explains the readings from the night before. He was super understanding about grading and assignments amidst pandemic madness, and his ability to just talk about the material without any slides or notes showed just how invested he is in the material he teaches.

Gun Politics in the United States with Professor Matthew Lacombe

If you’re a Political Science major at Barnard, you have to take this class for your next colloquium. Professor Lacombe is an expert in his field, and his research on the NRA contributes to a great portion of the class. Each day is very structured with a brief recap of the readings, discussions, and then reviews of how everyone’s research is going. Breakout rooms are used with purpose and are not too long nor tedious. All of the required readings are either provided or can be read for free on CLIO or the New York Public Library website catalog. You can also choose to research any topic related to gun politics, including but not limited to gun suicides, armed leftist movements, and alt-right militia groups.

SSOL Waitlists via Bwog Archives